Honestly, I get the hesitation with greywater, but I've had decent luck using it for non-edible landscaping. Tomatoes are definitely drama queens, but for stuff like shrubs or even lawn, a basic greywater setup can be a real water-saver. Just gotta keep the soaps simple and avoid anything with salts or borax. Rainwater is definitely easier to explain if someone official shows up, but if you keep your system low-key and label things, most inspectors don’t bat an eye. Maybe it depends on the county, though...
Greywater’s always been a bit of a wildcard for me. I set up a system for a client once—just laundry water straight to the flower beds, nothing fancy. Worked fine for the shrubs, but the minute someone switched to a “deep cleaning” detergent, half the azaleas started looking rough. Had to track it down to some weird additive in the soap. Now I tell folks to tape a list of “approved” products right above the machine, just to avoid surprises.
Rainwater’s definitely more straightforward. Nobody ever asks what’s in it, and you don’t have to worry about someone dumping bleach down the drain by accident. Only real hassle is cleaning out the gutters so you don’t end up watering with leaf soup. Where I’m at, inspectors seem more interested in backflow prevention than anything else, but I’ve heard other counties can be sticklers about greywater. Guess it’s one of those “know your local rules” deals.
- Ran into a similar thing on a retrofit job—client had a fancy new washing machine with all sorts of “eco” cycles, but nobody thought to check the detergent ingredients. Ended up with foamy runoff and some seriously stressed hydrangeas.
- For rainwater, I agree it’s less risky overall, but I’ve seen filters clog up fast if folks skip gutter maintenance. One guy ended up with a mini compost heap in his first flush diverter.
- Local codes can be a pain—some places barely care, others want triple backflow prevention and monthly water tests. Always feels like you’ve gotta double-check before you start cutting pipes.
- If I had to pick, rainwater’s usually my go-to for less hassle, but greywater can work if everyone’s on the same page about what goes down the drain... which is trickier than it sounds.
- Been there with the detergent issue—my kids once “helped” and we had a bubble parade out to the garden.
- Rainwater’s been the easier win for me too, but yeah, those gutters fill up quick if you ignore them. Maintenance is always the hidden cost.
- Codes are a pain, but I guess they keep us from making a mess.
- If you’re on a budget, rainwater’s less fiddly long-term. Greywater’s great if you trust everyone in the house to stick to the rules... still working on that here.
Yeah, I’ve had my fair share of soap suds disasters too—once tried to “upgrade” our greywater setup and ended up with half the laundry room looking like a foam party. Rainwater’s definitely less stress for me, just gotta remember to clear those gutters before the first big storm or you’re in for a waterfall where you don’t want one. Anyone tried mixing both systems? Wondering if it’s worth the hassle or just doubling the maintenance headaches...
